Microsoft is taking a giant step forward in supporting game creators across Africa with its Xbox Game Studios Game Camp Africa. The two-day conference will take place on July 15th-16th, 2023, and is open for applications today. The Game Camp aims to recognise and celebrate game creators across more than 50 diverse countries and regions in Africa.
With soaring interest from African youth, the gaming industry is set to grow exponentially across the continent, as more people get connected to the internet. According to the 2021 GSMA mobile economy report, 303 million people, about 28% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa, are connected to mobile internet, a number that is set to grow to 474 million by 2025, offering many more opportunities for gaming and local creators to grow and develop in the market.
“At Microsoft, we are excited to enable African game developers and creators to build faster through access to tools and resources, and to help their games be discovered by players in Africa and around the world. We want to grow strong roots in this significant market for gaming and game development. The ATO and Xbox personnel will also combine efforts to identify game studios to invest in through our Startups acceleration programme and venture capital investment partners. I’m looking forward to seeing what innovative concepts this Game Camp produces,” says Wael Elkabbany, Strategic Initiatives Lead for Microsoft CEMA.
The Game Camp initiative unifies various Xbox initiatives under one umbrella where talent is celebrated, and game developers are empowered to pursue their dreams. The Camp, including presentations, panels, and workshops, is available online for all registered campers. The in-person locations for campers will be held in Cairo, Johannesburg, Lagos, and Nairobi, offering viewing parties, on-site panel sessions, and opportunities to meet with Microsoft and Xbox personnel. Teams or individuals with games to pitch are encouraged to do so.
Now in its second year and 5th event, the Xbox Game Studios Game Camp programme aims to empower creators across the world to realize their potential in the gaming industry through unique learning experiences from industry leaders. The Game Camp offers a unique opportunity for African game developers and creators to build faster through access to tools and resources, and to help their games be discovered by players in Africa and around the world.
“At Xbox, we’re on a mission to bring the joy and community of gaming to the world’s 3 billion gamers and we recognize that Africa is home to the largest population of youth in the world, many who love to play. In 2019 I attended the opening of our Africa Development Centre and met with tech leaders, educators, and developers from across the region to understand their vision for the future of game creation. Through the inaugural Xbox Game Studios Camp Africa, in collaboration with Microsoft’s Africa Transformation Office, we have an opportunity to continue to deepen our relationships with talented developers in the region and help African games studios realize their vision and role in the global gaming industry,” said Phil Spencer, CEO, Gaming at Microsoft.
To participate, individuals must be of legal age, reside in any country on the African continent and be studying or working part or full-time in the field of software development, visual arts, 3D, music and audio, web design, narrative design, or professional project management.
The Game Camp will offer multiple perspectives on the many times complex craft of game development, with the two full days themed “The Journey of a Game.” In addition, there will be significant online learning components to the camp, which will allow participants to engage with focused training modules on topics that align closely with their skills and interests, before and after the event.
